OPENING THE FLOODGATES IN TALLAHASSEE

Bill Rufty's political column in the Lakeland Ledger today concentrates on the Legislature as it returns from it's Passover/Easter break, and the jam packed schedule it will have to loosen up the logjam of proposed bills to be considered by committees. Now that the Terri Schiavo drama is, for the most part, over in Tallahassee, lawmakers can get back to their primary work...legislating.

If you were wanting to see your state House or Senate member this week, you will likely have a difficult time at best doing so. With committee meetings packing the schedule and business on the floor, they'll be rushing to consider bills in their committees or explaining legislation that they are involved with in another.

I like the quote from Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher to the Ledger editorial board last week:

"If it hadn't been Terri Schiavo, it would have been something else. Something always holds up the work."

That's politics for you.